Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is a bacterium that causes Johne's Disease (chronic granulomatous enteritis of the small intestine) in livestock. Johne's disease results in decreased milk production, fetal loss, diarrhea and early death resulting in substantial economic loss to the livestock and dairy industry.
There is a need for assays for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of infectious pathogens for differential identification of MAP from other bacteria and Mycobacterium avium subspecies. Such assays are sought for diagnostic identification of animals infected by MAP.